Exploring the Present Through the Past: Claudia Goldin on human capital, gender and the lessons from history

An interview with introduction by Brian Snowdon

Published: December 2007

Claudia Goldin is one of the world’s leading economists and economic historians, and has made a series of outstanding and original contributions particularly to the cliometric (or ‘The New Economic History’) literature. In this interview, Professor Goldin discusses with Brian Snowdon (who first provides a background introduction) several important issues relating to her research on economic history and cliometrics, the economics of slavery, US economic history, corruption in America, the role of human capital and education in US economic development, wage inequality, female labour force participation and the 'Quiet Revolution', the influence of the contraceptive pill, women's surnames, the reversal of the college gender gap, and women in the economics profession.